It is estimated that more than a quarter of Americans suffer from some form of chronic pain. Many of these American's choose to live with their pains- But they don't have to. The ones that do seek the care of a physician are often misled. They are given prescription drugs to help quell the pain. These temporary "Band-aid" fixes are often counter-productive for the patients long-term health goals. Many of these medications carry substantial side effects and tote the risk of becoming habit forming. Typically these drugs are very poor at treating the underlying problems that may have initially caused the pain.
How Does Acupuncture Treatment For Pain Management Work?
Acupuncture treatment is an effective, side-effect free way of dealing with the underlying conditions associated with chronic pain. This works in two ways:
- When needles are placed into acupuncture points, local increases in blood flow occur. The nerve stimulation sends messages to the spinal cord, brainstem and hypothalamus. These messages stimulate the release of endogenous opioids, your body’s natural pain medicine.
- Muscles that are in "spasm" may also be constricting on delicate nerve fibers. Once agitated these fibers will send a pain impulse back to the brain letting it know that a problem exists. By relaxing the affected muscle region with acupuncture treatment it may be all that is needed to decrease inflammation and stop pain.
If you are currently suffering from a chronic pain condition, we can help.
